Ask any New Mexican if multicultural education matters, and the answer is a resounding “Yes.” Across our diverse communities, there is broad agreement: we want our children to grow up with opportunity, with schools that prepare them for a future defined by possibility, not limitations. Still, the road to fulfilling this shared vision has been anything but easy.
In 2018, the Yazzie/Martinez v. State of New Mexico court ruling confirmed what families, educators, and tribal leaders had long said. Our state was failing to meet its constitutional obligation to provide a sufficient education for all students, especially Native American students, English language learners, students with disabilities, and children from low-income families. The court ordered systemic change, but six years later, that promise remains unfulfilled.
That’s why the Yazzie and Martinez plaintiffs filed a motion in September calling on the state to develop a comprehensive remedial action plan: a clear roadmap for fixing what remains broken. Our students can’t wait. We need bold, coordinated leadership to make good on the court’s order, and the Legislative Education Study Committee (LESC) is the right body to lead the way.
The LESC brings unmatched expertise, capacity, and connectivity across state systems. As a nonpartisan committee of the Legislature, the LESC benefits from dedicated analysts who provide in-depth research, policy analysis, and data to support informed decision-making on education issues.
For decades, education policy in New Mexico has been shaped by deficit-based thinking: policies aimed at “fixing” students instead of transforming systems. This mindset has disconnected young people from their culture, language, and identity. The result? Too many students feel disconnected from school, particularly those pushed furthest from opportunity. We need a new vision, one that builds on the strengths of our communities. LESC analysts maintain strong working relationships with the Public Education Department, tribal leaders, school districts, and community advocates. These relationships are essential to building a plan rooted in both data and the lived experience of New Mexican students.
To be truly effective, any plan must be rooted in the lived experiences of families, educators, tribal governments, and especially students. It must establish clear goals, measurable outcomes, and strong accountability to ensure equity. Our children deserve an education system that recognizes who they are, values where they come from, and equips them with the tools to thrive.
As Executive Director of Transform Education New Mexico and a 20-year educator, I know the stakes are high. But I also know what’s possible when we lead with courage and collaboration.
This call is about more than just a plan. It is about aligning our dollars with a transformational vision, growing capacity where needed most and creating an education system worthy of our children’s brilliance and rooted in our multicultural values. We must remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing equity, honoring cultural and linguistic identity, and ensuring every child receives the education that the state is constitutionally obligated to provide.